For all Mia’s Grandma’s out there that I know are wondering about her health here is a quick update.  We visited Dr. Tomkoria yesterday for her 12 month check up.  I’d like to give a little shout-out to her doctor who has been really wonderful from the first meeting before Mia was even born (yes, I interviewed her first!)  She is very gentle, takes all the time in the world to answer my worried-mom questions (of which I’m sure she hears a thousand times a day) and is patient with trying to listen to a chattering, squirmy one-year-old’s heartbeat. 

Mia is doing really fantastic in her development ~ exactly where she should be if not a little ahead of the curve in terms of walking, climbing, waving, talking etc.  As the doctor was asking me these questions our naked Mia was maneuvering a stool over to the cupboards and trying to scale up to the counter top.  Of course she also ate a handful of the paper sheet covering the exam bench so I tried to explain that we don’t normally feed her fiber this way.

Physically Mia is tracking at average height – she’s just under 30 inches now.  Her weight is low at 17.3 pounds, probably because a) Mama Nika is “no bigger than a minute” as Nana would say and b) she is so active now that she is walking and likely burning calories much faster.  This is NOT a big concern as Mia is a great eater and is very healthy in all regards, but the doctor has asked us to up her calorie intake.  So for the next few months we’ll be feeding her pats of butter deep-fried in lard, followed by ice-cream sprinkled with bacon bits.  (Mom, I can hear you gasping all the way from Bend!)

Seriously, as we were leaving the docs office we rode down the elevator with a young girl that was obviously very mentally and physically disabled.  While I’m sure her family loves her just as much as we love Mia, I am so incredibly thankful that we have such a sunny beautiful bright little girl.

~ Mama J.

Addendum: Unfortunately because Mia received three vaccinations yesterday, and possibly because she was already fighting off the same bug that Mama B has, our little one is home sick today with congestion.  Her spirit seems good but we won’t be going to Seattle as planned this weekend.  Send her and Mama B wishes to get well soon, and to me NOT to get sick at all, please!

What happened to our wee baby girl??  I guess it is normal to feel like the last year has flown by so fast, but when you are strapped into the roller-coaster ride of parenthood (complete with moments of thinking you are going to throw up with fear to moments of incredible exhilaration) that first year’s ride ends too soon. 

Our sweet fluffy-haired daughter is now a full-on “Wobbler” – walking fast, walking everywhere, walking straight for the edge of the stairs or in the bathroom to explore the toilet or after Pico to grab her tail.  Thank goodness for the “Mia Zone” – carpeted, blocked off, and reasonably safe.  Her zone is now overflowing with toys and blocks and her favorite – books.  It is a delight to watch her pick and chose and explore on her own.

Mia’s first birthday was a very special affair.  We tried to keep things simple and with just family since she isn’t quite able to comprehend her birthday yet.  We were very lucky that so many of her big loving family were able to come, including her birth family: Mama Nika, Grandma Lyndel and Uncle Michael, her Daddy Chris, Grandpa Robert, Grandma Nadine and wee-Uncle Alex!  My parents (aka Grandma and Grandpa) and my brother, Uncle Mark came up from Bend, and Bonnie’s sister, Aunt Marci, came from Seattle.  The rest of her family in Florida all sent cards and gifts and Gran and Nana are planning a visit in September.  Mia Lynn looked summery and happy in her litte birthday dress, trailing a helium balloon around the house and eating her first cupcake (she wasn’t so sure about that sticky frosting she couldn’t shake off her fingers.  From now on I’m frosting everything so she can’t throw it on the floor.)  Needless to say she connects us all with her joy and the love we all feel for this little girl.

The other big change is that Mia has started daycare, just after turning one.  Although it has been a real loss to us as a family to not have Shaunna here on a regular basis (we miss you!) it was time for Mia to interact with other kids and learn some social manners.  (This first came to light on a trip to the Children’s Museum in May when she stole a 9month-old boy’s toy and then smacked him on the forhead and knocked him over.  We were both horrified and proud, all in the same moment.)  We have found a really wonderful place for her to go most Mondays through Thursdays: Cloud Nine.  Although Mia is adapting to the new rules and adjusting to not being the one-and-only princess, she seems to be thriving in their care, and at the end of the day is happy and reluctant to leave.

We are obviously proud of our little girl, and so grateful to have been blessed with a beautiful, healthy and thriving child.  She is a good egg.  Some of her other recent accomplishments:

Says (sort of): dog, duck, cow, fish, horse, ball, hi

Sounds: moo (for cow), roar (for lion and many other animals), meow (for cats), woof-woof (for dog), baa (for sheep)

Signs: all done, more, mama, eat, milk, bye-bye

Eats: everything BUT avocado.

As we enter her second year, we are buckled in, anticipating the highs and lows and swoops in our stomachs as Mia Lynn teaches all about parenting in months 12-24.  Stay tuned and pray we don’t fall off the rails.

~ Mama J.